Vanishing Act
by MickeyLeek
Summary: One of the partners goes missing.


Vanishing Act  
  
The squirrel rushed up the tree as the rustling of leaves grew louder. Seconds later a man was nearing the tree, leaning an arm on the trunk, his body slightly bending forward. The man was tired and out of breath, his pants and T-Shirt torn in several places. There was a bloodstain on the left side of his body where he pressed one hand on. The man couldn't afford to rest for long. He had no watch but he could tell from the setting sun that several hours must have passed since he was finally able to escape. But he also knew that his captors were still on his tail. He couldn't let them catch him for he'd rather die than go back to that place where he was held captive. The only reason he was still going on at all was the thought of his partner. I'm on my way home, buddy, the man thought. He had to find his way back to Bay City. That's where his partner was, wasn't he? But what if his partner had left? It had been a long time since they last were together. His captors had him in their hands for more than 7 months. Could it be that his lifeline had given up on him, maybe thought he was dead? No, you can't have. I'm counting on you. I know you'd never give up on me! The tired man didn't even want to think about what his partner must have gone through while he was missing. Hopefully soon they would be reunited and this hell would all be behind them. But first he had to get out of this place, out of this country! The man straightened up and was about to hurry along when the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked made him stop dead in his tracks. "Stop and don't move,' a voice said in Spanish behind him. No, no, no! The man closed his eyes, his shoulders sagging in defeat.  
  
Months earlier...  
  
'Come on, Hutch! That new place on Ocean is supposed to be really good. Let's grab some lunch there.' Starsky opened the driver side door of his Torino and slid onto the black leather seat. His partner did the same on the passenger side. 'All right, all right. You've been pestering me about this place for some days now. Are you sure they have some food for me?' The blond looked expectantly over to his best friend. 'Yeah, yeah. They have tasteless food, too!' Starsky laughed and started the engine. 'Very funny, Starsky. Very funny.'  
  
Lunch did turn out very good for both men. Hutch was pleasantly surprised of the wide selection of healthy food and Starsky enjoyed his 'Burger with everything'. The detectives left the restaurant and walked toward their car. 'The weather is beautiful. I wish we wouldn't have to go back to work,' Starsky whined. 'Just a few more hours and we are off for the weekend, Starsk. You will make it till then,' Hutch replied while he opened the car door and got in. 'But I've got a date with Kayla later and the earlier I get there the better,' Starsky grinned after he sat down behind the wheel and started the car. Hutch just shook his head and smiled.  
  
They were on their way for just about a minute when the radio went on. 'To all units in the vicinity: There is a 2/11 in progress at Ino's Market on 2764 N Wilson Avenue.' Hutch picked up the microphone to answer. 'This is Zebra 3. We are about four blocks south from the market and responding.' '10/4 Zebra 3.' 'Zebra 3 out,' Hutch replied. 'Come on, Starsky. Hit the gas!' They heard other units responding while they drove to their destination and were almost at the market when two masked man came running out, guns in their hands. The robbers jumped into a car and drove off. 'Two suspects just left in a yellow Chevy. Plates: Delta Juliet 7-9-3-8. We are in pursuit.' Hutch replaced the microphone, put the mars light on the roof of the car and held on to the door as the Torino lurched forward when Starsky sped up. They saw a black & white turning in front of them to join the chase. Soon several police cars were trying to keep up with the speeding suspects. Starsky kept his car behind the first police cruiser, speeding past citizens who drove to the side. Suddenly a pedestrian was running across the street and in front of the leading squad car. The driver of the car hit the brakes hard and skidded to the side, avoiding the walking man but hitting a fire hydrant. It was now Starsky and Hutch who were behind the Chevy, trying to keep up as it turned on many occasions to shake of the pursuers. 'Maybe I should have had a little less to eat,' Hutch said as he held on to the dashboard as Starsky rounded yet another corner. 'I think I'm getting sick when this doesn't stop soon,' he murmured.  
  
After another mile they came to an old industrial area of town with several abandoned buildings. As the suspects turned another corner with Starsky and Hutch behind them, they saw about 300 feet in front of them a fenced up construction area. The Chevy came to a sudden stop and the two suspects climbed out of the car and ran into an old building. Starsky also braked while Hutch gave their location to the other police cars that were far behind. Then Starsky and Hutch left their car and ran to the door they saw the suspects disappear in. Both detectives had their guns drawn and slowly made their way into the building. Except for a few scattered boxes the building was empty. The police officers saw the robbers exiting on the other side and followed them outside. As soon as they passed through the door shots rang out and Starsky and Hutch both dove for cover behind old crates – one to the left, the other to the right of the door. They tried to pinpoint where the suspects were hiding while they were being shot at. Both robbers were shooting from behind two other crates about 20 feet in front of the policemen. The whole place looked like a dumping place for old crates. They were standing everywhere.  
  
Starsky signaled to Hutch and ran behind another crate as Hutch gave him cover. Starsky was now a little closer to the suspects and it was his turn to cover Hutch as his partner closed in on the robbers from the other side. They tried to put the bad guys between themselves. It was Starsky who first came upon one of the robbers. 'Police! Put your gun down!' he ordered the man who had his back to him. But the robber had no intention of giving up and spun around, aiming his pistol at the detective. Starsky fired his gun and hit his target before the suspect could squeeze the trigger.  
  
At the same time Hutch had almost reached the other robber. 'Don't shoot! I give up!' the man suddenly shouted and threw his gun from behind the crate he was hiding. He then stepped slowly from behind his cover with his arms high in the air. Hutch cuffed the young man and took possession of the gun. Then he walked with his prisoner over to Starsky who was leaning over the other suspect. 'He's dead. The fool didn't want to give up,' Starsky said, shaking his head. At that moment other police officers came running out of the building.  
  
After handing over their prisoner and talking to the other policemen, Starsky and Hutch left and drove to the station. They had to fill out their reports – not one of their favorite things to do.  
  
Days later...  
  
The black limousine made its way slowly down the narrow street. On both sides of the gravel road the grass was green and well maintained. Graves dotted the landscape. Some had flowers on them; others were bare, with just a headstone to let everyone know who was buried there.  
  
A tall, handsome man sat on the backseat of the limousine and was staring out of the window. The black-haired man was in his early thirties and seemed to be deep in thought. After the car passed the gates of the cemetery and was back on the city streets the man turned to another passenger who was sitting opposite of him. 'Do you have more information on my brothers' killer, Tony?' Tony pulled a sheet of paper out of his inside jacket pocket and handed it to his boss. 'His name is David Starsky, Mr. Fontana. He works out of the Metropolitan Division in Bay City and has been on the force for about 7 years.' 'Bay City you say? Call Reggie later and tell him I'll need him to fly us to there tomorrow morning,' Fontana ordered. 'And also arrange for a hotel room and tell Peter to come along,' he added. 'Will do, Boss,' Tony replied. Mr. Fontana looked at the paper that had the information and a picture of Detective Starsky. He crumbled up the paper, threw it on the floor and continued staring out the window.  
  
The next morning Fontana and Tony arrived at a small airport together with Peter. The three walked straight to a private jet waiting on a lot. A man in his fifties was checking the plane. 'Hello, Reggie! Everything ready to go?' Fontana asked. 'Yeah, we're ready to fly, Mr. Fontana,' Reggie replied. Fontana, Tony and Peter climbed into the small plane and took their usual seats; Tony and Peter in the rear, their boss in the front next to the seat reserved for the pilot. Reggie, the pilot, entered the jet after them and sat down. He put on a set of headphones and started talking to the tower in preparation for take off. Some minutes later the plane was in the air.  
  
The flight was uneventful and after two hours the private jet landed on an airstrip outside of Bay City. A limousine was waiting for the foursome and they drove downtown to the Wiltshire, a high-class hotel. After checking in the men rode the elevator up to the 9th floor and went to their hotel rooms.  
  
The next few days were uneventful for Starsky and Hutch. They worked on some of their cases but nothing out of the ordinary. Both detectives didn't notice that they were being watched every step they took. The spies were keeping their distance and didn't intrude on their prey to avoid getting caught.  
  
In the afternoon of the third day Tony and Peter went back to their boss' hotel room to report back to him. 'Well, I think it is time for some action,' Mr. Fontana said. 'You know what to do!' 'We'll get him, Boss. We will do it just as you told us to. There will be no problem,' Tony answered. 'You bet there won't be a problem! I won't accept failure!' Fontana said, glaring at his men. The twosome quickly left the room. They had a job to do.  
  
It was just after 7 pm when Hutch arrived at his apartment. After finishing his shift an hour earlier he went to dinner with Starsky. Both of them were tired after a long day of work and so each went home after a fabulous meal. After unlocking his door, Hutch went into the bedroom and changed into his sweatpants and white T-Shirt. He put on his sneakers and after a detour into the bathroom left the apartment for his evening jog. The detective bounced down the stairs and walked out of the building. Like the days before he didn't notice the two men watching him. Hutch rounded a corner and was out of sight.  
  
Peter and Tony exited their car and walked across the street to the building where their target just came out a minute earlier. The door was unlocked and the two men went upstairs. While Tony acted as the lookout, Peter jimmied the apartment door open with his credit card. It took just a few tries and the door sprung open. The men stepped inside the apartment and closed the door behind them. Peter walked over to the window and looked down on the street. Tony positioned himself behind the door. Fifteen minutes passed when Peter finally spotted the blond police officer. 'Here he comes,' he said to his partner. Just a short time later the door of the apartment opened and Hutch stepped inside. He stopped suddenly at the sight of the intruder at the window. 'What...?' was all he could start to say before he was hit on the head with a hard object and fell to the floor unconsciously. Tony tucked his gun back in his waistband while Peter walked to the divider and took Hutch's gun out of the holster. Then he left the room to get the van they had parked earlier down the street. Tony was looking around the apartment and finally found what he was looking for – the jacket and badge of the detective and a pair of handcuffs. He used the cuffs on Hutch and waited for Peter. After his friend arrived they both carried their victim carefully down the stairs, always on the lookout for witnesses. They made sure to take the jacket and badge with them and made it to the van without being spotted and drove off.  
  
The men were just driving for a short time when they reached their destination. It was an abandoned warehouse and they drove the vehicle inside the building and locked the door. Then one of the men opened the rear van door and both and climbed in. Tony covered the policemen's eyes with a blindfold and then used a piece of duct tape on the mouth. In the meantime Peter was searching the side of the van. 'Where are you?' he said to himself as he kept looking. 'Ah! Got it!' He pulled out a small box and kneeled next to Hutch. Tony pulled up one sleeve on the Blondes arm as Peter took a syringe out of the box. He used it on the arm to take blood. All in all they filled three small vials with the blood and put them in the box together with the syringe. Then the two men climbed out of the back of the van, one of them holding the precious blood. Tony walked over to the door of the building and unlocked it. Then he joined Peter in the van and they drove off again.  
  
This time their drive was longer then the last. It took the men almost an hour to reach their destination. They parked the van close to a cliff high above the ocean. Peter climbed out of the drivers' side with the box in his left hand. Tony got out of the van, holding the badge and jacket. It was a beautiful spring night. The sky was clear and a light breeze was tousling the hair of the two men. Peter took a vial out of the box and spilled the blood on the jacket his partner was holding. Then Tony threw the jacket over the cliff. Peter scattered the rest of the blood around the ground and they placed the badge not far from it. The two men worked in silence and the only sound heard were the waves crashing against the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. After finishing their job Tony and Peter smiled satisfied at each other and went back to the van.  
  
Now they were heading to the gas station they had passed earlier on their way. Peter stopped the van at the station and filled the gas tank while Tony walked over to the telephone on the outside wall of the station building. It only rang one time before the phone was answered on the other side. 'It's all done, Mr. Fontana. We've got the cargo and will head south.' 'Very good, Tony. There'll be a big paycheck waiting for both of you,' the boss replied. 'See you in two days.' Both men hung up the phone and Tony walked back to the van.  
  
'Did you sleep in today, Blondie?' Starsky was more saying to himself. He had been waiting in front of Hutch's apartment for five minutes. Usually his partner was on time but this morning there was no sign of him. After honking for the second time Starsky left the Torino and walked inside the building. He walked up the stairs and stood in front of the door that led to Hutch's apartment. After knocking without getting an answer he tried the door and was surprised that it wasn't locked. After the Diana-fiasco Hutch had promised him to lock his door AND keep his keys to himself. Starsky stepped inside slowly and called out his partners' name but got no answer. He pulled out his gun and carefully looked around the apartment. Everything seemed to be in order. Starsky noticed the empty holster on the divider. Where are you buddy? Starsky thought as he touched the holster as if it would give him a clue to where his missing partner was. He couldn't have left for work already. His old heap is still on the street. And why would he leave his holster? Something was wrong; he could feel it. After looking around the apartment one more time he walked over to the phone and dialed his Captains number. 'Dobey,' came the gruff voice over the phone. 'Cap, Starsky here.' 'Where are you two? You are late!' Dobey scolded. 'I'm over at Hutch's place but there is no sign of him!' 'What do you mean; there is no sign of him? Maybe he already left,' came the Captains reply. 'I don't think so. His gun is missing but his holster is still here. Hutch is in trouble, Cap. I can feel it,' Starsky said. Dobey knew that he could trust Starsky's instinct. 'Any signs of a struggle?' he asked. His man answered with a no and it was decided to send a forensic team to the apartment. Starsky knew his partner better then anybody and while waiting for the team he realized that he hadn't seen Hutch's' badge and jacket, not even in the closet. He must have them on him.  
  
After hanging around with the forensic team for a while Starsky left without any results. He slid behind the wheel of the Torino and banged his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. Then he drove to the police station.  
  
Dobey was on the phone as Starsky entered his office. After some minutes the captain finished the call and hung up. 'Anything?' he asked one of his best detectives. But he could read the answer to that question on the expression of Starsky's face. 'There is no clue at his apartment of where he could have gone,' Starsky replied. He dropped himself onto a chair and held his head in his hands. 'Where could he be?' he said to no one in particular. 'I'll put out an APB on Hutch.' 'Thanks, Captain. I think I'll go over to Huggy. Maybe he heard something.' With that Starsky left the room and headed to his car.  
  
Huggy was surprised to hear of the disappearance of Starsky's other half. He could see that Curley was frustrated. 'I'll definitely keep my eyes and ears open, Starsky. If somebody snatched Blondie I'll hear about it,' Huggy said with more confidence that he actually felt. He put a glass of whiskey in front of Starsky and continued, 'Here, drink this.' Starsky thanked Huggy and drank the glass empty. 'I better get going. I have to talk to some people. Give me a call when you hear something.' 'You know I will,' Huggy replied and as soon as Starsky left The Pits he took the phone to make some calls.  
  
It was two days later when the call came in. Starsky was sitting in Dobey's office. Huggy was also there. All three men looked tired and exhausted but none as much as Starsky. He didn't get much sleep since his partners' disappearance and was worn out. Nobody seemed to know what happened to the blond Detective. Even Huggy couldn't find out anything. It seemed like Hutch just vanished into thin air. It was midmorning and there already was a depressing silence in the room that was suddenly interrupted by the ringing of the phone. After the second ring the Captain picked up the receiver: 'Captain Dobey.' The black man listened attentively to whoever was on the other end and straightened in his chair. 'Thanks. I'll send somebody over right away,' was all he said at the end of the conversation and hung up the phone. 'That was a Forest Ranger from the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area. He found Hutch's badge at a place called Wilder's Point.' Starsky jumped off his seat and was out the door before his Captain could say another word.  
  
After fighting traffic for more than an hour Starsky arrived at Wilder's Point. He could see two other police cars and one Park Ranger car. An area close to the cliffs was cordoned off with yellow police tape. Starsky got out of his car and made his way over to the area. 'I'm Detective Starsky from Bay City,' he said to a female police officer as he showed her his badge. 'Oh yes. We were expecting somebody from down there,' the officer replied and held up the tape to let Starsky pass by. Then she led Starsky to another officer. 'Sergeant Miller, this is the Detective from Bay City.' The Sergeant and Detective introduced each other with Starsky mentioning that he was Hutch's partner. Then Sergeant Miller held up a clear plastic bag. 'This is the badge Ranger Sanderson found earlier this morning. It was lying over here.' He handed the bag to Starsky and led him to the place its content was found. There was a pool of dried blood not far from it. Starsky stared at what was clearly Hutch's badge and then to the dark red spot on the ground. 'We sent a blood sample to Bay City to find out if it belongs to Detective Hutchinson. We are also searching along the coast for any signs of your partner,' the police sergeant said as he pointed with his hand to a helicopter that was flying a few miles down the coast. 'So far we haven't found anything else except for some tire tracks over there,' Sergeant Miller continued and led Starsky a few feet away from the cliff. A faint outline of tire tracks was visible in the dirt. 'Fortunately it didn't rain for some days. We made a print of the tracks but as you can see there isn't much so I don't know if that will be of any help.' Starsky just nodded and walked to the edge of the cliff to look out over the ocean. It was a beautiful view but he couldn't enjoy it. Was this the last thing Hutch saw before...? Starsky didn't want to finish that thought. No, I can't think like this. Hutch is still alive! I know it. I can feel it - I will find you, Buddy. I promise. The crackling walkie-talkie of Sergeant Miller interrupted Starsky's thoughts. The Sergeant had stayed a few feet behind Starsky and now listened and then responded to the walkie-talkie. Then he called to Starsky, 'Detective, a unit recovered a jacket from the water after the helicopter spotted it. They are about two miles south.' 'Show me the way,' Starsky answered and hurried over to the Torino, Sgt. Miller right behind him.  
  
After only a short ride the couple arrived at their destination. A squad car was parked close to the rocky beach. Starsky and Sgt. Miller walked to two officers who were squatting down and looking at something on the ground in front of them. Miller introduced himself and Starsky to the other two policemen, Officers McAllister and Lopez. Officer Lopez gestured to the jacket on the ground. Starsky squatted down and as he saw the jacket he felt like a cold hand squeezed his heart; a big lump formed in his throat and he closed his eyes for a moment to steady himself and remain calm. There was no doubt in his mind that this jacket belonged to Hutch. 'It's my partner's jacket,' Starsky said quietly as he picked the soaking jacket up and inspected it. There was a big stain on the jacket and Starsky knew that it was probably blood. He heard Officer McAllister call in to request more helicopters and boats to search the water. Starsky held the jacket close to his chest and put his forehead on it. He was fighting back tears as he sat there, trying not to lose hope.  
  
He was hot and sweaty. It had been at least four days since he woke up in this smelly place, a small room in a basement. The room was bare. There were two windows high up on the wall but they were boarded up and only a small amount of natural light came trough the cracks. The door to the room was made out of dark wood and looked pretty heavy. A light bulb was hanging from the ceiling. The captors turned it off for some hours of the day, presumably when it was night.  
  
Hutch tried to wipe sweat from his face with his left shoulder. It wasn't easy with his hands cuffed behind his back. 'Hello?' he called out. But as usual it had no effect. The only time somebody came in was to bring some food and drinks. And the two men who came never spoke a word to him, no matter what he said or asked. He was somewhere in Mexico, this he was sure of. The water bottles had Spanish writing on them and one of the men was always reading a Mexican newspaper while Hutch was eating. The thought of food made the cop hungry. It probably won't be much longer until it was time to eat and his captors would bring what they called food. All Hutch got was dry bread, water and some kind of fruit twice a day. It was better than nothing but already after just a few days Hutch was tired of it. Starsky would have a fit! No greasy food in here, partner. The thought of Starsky pushed away his need for food. What was Starsky doing? Was he still looking for him? Did he leave any clues to help him with the search? The last thing Hutch remembered was coming home from an evening jog and finding an intruder in his apartment. Next thing he knew he woke up here. He didn't even know how long he was out. It could have been hours or even days.  
  
Hutch heard voices in the other room. He couldn't understand what they were saying but it was probably the two men bringing the food. A bolt was moved on the other side of the door and a key was turned in the keyhole to unlock the door. The two men walked inside, one carrying a tray with food, the other dangling keys from his one hand and holding a newspaper in the other. The man with the keys, a heavyset guy with long brown hair tied to a ponytail, walked over to Hutch and removed the handcuffs. Then the other man, much thinner and taller than the first, placed the tray in front of their prisoner and walked back to the door to stand guard while the other leaned against a wall close to Hutch and started to read his paper.  
  
Hutch was just about to eat when another man entered the small room. He was tall with black hair. His clothing was impeccable, a dark suit that looked very expensive. 'I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner to welcome you,' he said politely to Hutch. 'I had planned to arrive earlier but I had some business to conduct,' the man continued as he walked toward Hutch. 'Who are you? And what do you want from me?' the cop asked. 'My name is David Fontana. I don't want much - just revenge!' the tall man answered. Fontana. That name sounded familiar but Hutch was sure that he had never before seen the man who was standing in front of him now. Fontana could see the confused expression on Hutch's face and smiled. 'You don't know me. This is actually the first time we meet. But you had contact with my brother, Duncan. Your partner murdered him!' Fontana finished. Duncan Fontana? It took Hutch a minute to remember that person. He was one of the robbers they were chasing and Starsky had to kill him in self-defense. 'My partner didn't murder your brother. He shot him after he didn't want to give up and was about to kill Starsky!' Hutch responded angrily. 'Well, that's your opinion. But it still leaves us with the same result – my brother is dead, your partner alive! It is time that he paid for what he did and that is why you are here.' 'I don't understand. What does it have to do with me?' Hutch asked. 'If you think you can trade me with him, that won't work. It's police procedure not to exchange hostages,' Hutch said confidently. Fontana just smiled at him for a few seconds. 'I admit that I wanted to kill your partner, Detective. But then I found out that I could punish him far worse. I just had to take you away from him! He will never find you if I don't want him to. A lot of people in Bay City actually think that you are dead.' Fontana said, pulled a newspaper out of his inside suit pocket and threw it at Hutch. 'This is today's paper. Enjoy!' Fontana laughed and walked out of the room.  
  
Hutch snatched the paper and unfolded it. It was Bay City's larges newspaper 'The Bay City Times'. Little Hope Of Finding Detective Alive, screamed the headline in black lettering. There was a picture of him and an article about the mysterious disappearance of Detective Hutchinson one week earlier. It went on about the badge and jacket that were found and how Starsky was confident in finding his partner alive although apparently the paper didn't get a direct quote. I knew you wouldn't give up on me, Buddy. Hutch had to smile at the thought of his partner. When Starsky was determined everybody better get out of the way. Hutch looked at the date: April 14th. Well, it's only been a week - Starsky would find him soon. In the meantime Hutch would think about an escape plan. With new confidence the blond Detective started to eat his meal.  
  
'Son, it's been over two months,' Dobey said quietly. He was sitting in his office chair behind his desk, leaning forward as he was talking. The person he was talking to was slouching on one of the two chairs facing the desk. Starsky was staring at the ceiling. He was tired, worn out, ready to give up. But he couldn't, not until he found his partner – dead or alive. 'I'll find Hutch, Captain,' Starsky said in a voice so quiet that Dobey almost missed it. 'I won't stop until I find him.' 'Look at you, Starsky. You are destroying yourself. When was the last time you've slept through the night or had a decent meal? Hutch wouldn't want you to self-destruct like this.' The captain was right, Starsky couldn't even remember when he slept longer than a few hours and had more than just a few bites to eat. But he could see that Dobey wasn't faring much better, he obviously neglected his personal needs, too.  
  
The official search for Hutch had been called off some time ago, only Starsky was still on the case full time. But he knew that he had to go back to other cases soon. Dobey had mentioned it before and he was talking about it again. 'I've assigned you to the Mason case. You'll be working with Jensen.' Starsky sat up straight in an instant. 'I don't need a new partner, Captain. Especially not a rookie cop. I want to work alone!' 'You know that's not possible. Jensen was one of the top graduates from the Academy. He'll be good for you as much as you'll be good for him.' That was the end of the discussion and Starsky knew it. There was no point in arguing more about it. He angrily stormed out of the office into the squad room. He thought about quitting, not for the first time, but he couldn't. He needed the resources for the search of his missing partner.  
  
Officer Jensen was a good officer and as much as Starsky tried not to like him he couldn't. Starsky had no doubt that this rookie was going to be a top cop sometime in the future. It didn't take long for them to solve the Mason case. Everyday after going off-duty Starsky concentrated on his search for Hutch. Jensen even offered his help and Starsky thankfully accepted. But as much as they tried they didn't get any further in their investigation. Though as long as no body was found Starsky would not give up hope in finding his partner alive.  
  
Hutch was sitting against a wall in his prison. It was probably Night because the light in the room was turned off. But Hutch couldn't sleep. His hands were cuffed behind his back most of the day and his wrists were raw and hurt. Damn, Starsky! Where are you? Please get me out of her! The cuffs were taken off only a few times: when it was time to eat, to read the newspaper and when his captors let him go to the bathroom, a bucket in the corner. They sometimes also allowed him to shave; but both man had their guns ready while he used the disposable razors and a small mirror. Hutch had tried to escape once but he didn't get far. The only things he gained were bruises. He had planned to get away when he received his meal. As soon as the big guy removed his cuffs Hutch made a dash to the door, knocking the man with the tray down. He took both men by surprise but he only made it out of the door before they caught up with him. He was knocked down from behind and while the heavy man held him down, the other one put the cuffs back on. A little too tight Hutch thought. They pulled him up and led him back into the room. For the first time one of the men said something to Hutch: 'Better not try that again, Blondie!' the big guy threatened and punched Hutch in the face. The cop could taste blood in his mouth. Another followed the first punch, this time to the stomach. Hutch doubled over but was pulled back. A few more punches were delivered and then the men left the room. Hutch was certain he had at least some cracked, if not even broken ribs. After that failed attempted he hadn't tried again. But he would have to if he ever wanted to get out of here. It was now four month since Fontana came by. Every other day Hutch's captors gave him newspapers. That's how he knew how much time had passed. It was always 'The Bay City Times' and in the beginning there were still reports about his disappearance and the search but the articles became smaller and less frequent until he wasn't mentioned at all anymore. Hutch was still leaning against the wall, closed his eyes and finally started to doze off.  
  
'Happy Birthday, Partner,' Starsky said quietly. It was late August and he was standing on the beach looking out over the ocean. The sun had just set above the rocks behind him and the calm water was glistening in the early sun. It was going to be another beautiful summer day. Starsky could hear the seagulls screaming in the distance. The only other sound was the small waves crashing on the beach. Hutch loved this spot and he had shown it to Starsky just last summer, after he had discovered it. The large rocks surrounding the spot in a semi-circle secluded it from other parts of the beach and only occasionally would people pass this place.  
  
Today was Sunday and Starsky was off from work. He was watching the water for some more minutes and then turned around to make his way back to the Torino, which was parked on the side of a road about half a mile away from the beach. After he reached his car he had one last look over the ocean before sitting behind the wheel and driving off. He was heading to Venice. Traffic was light on a Sunday morning and it took him just a short time to reach Hutch's apartment building. Starsky had continued paying the rent and took care of the apartment since his partner was missing. He didn't want to give up the place because to him that meant he gave up on Hutch. So he came here every other day to water the plants and just spend some time there, looking through pictures and books.  
  
After spending about a few hours at the apartment Starsky left and headed home. Today he would just relax and clear his head to continue his search on Hutch tomorrow. Normally he would probably have a date on a Sunday but Starsky hadn't gone out in a long time. His girlfriend Kayla broke up with him about two month after Hutch went missing because Starsky had rarely time for her anymore since he spent all his free time searching for his partner.  
  
Starsky also wanted to call Dobey later. He had some harsh words with him yesterday after the captain suggested the department should have a Memorial Service for Hutch. Starsky was furious and didn't want to hear about it and after ranting against it stormed out of Dobey's office mad as hell. He wanted to apologize to his superior. Maybe Dobey was right anyways. It probably would be nice to have some kind of service. But still, the thought of it left a bitter taste in Starsky's mouth. A memorial service was for dead people. And as long as no body was found he held out at least some small hope that his partner was alive somewhere.  
  
As Starsky arrived at his home he saw a brown envelope waiting for him in front of the door. It had no return address and was only addressed to 'Detective Starsky'. Obviously somebody had placed it there. Starsky carefully picked up the envelope and looked it over. Apparently there was an object enclosed in the envelope. Starsky unlocked his apartment door and walked to the kitchen. After sliding the envelope open with a kitchen knife Starsky dumped the contend of it on the kitchen table. A watch came tumbling out, followed by a piece of paper. Starsky just stared at the watch, Hutch's watch. He snatched the paper and read the short note:  
  
A little souvenir from your partner. I know you are wondering if he is dead or alive – but only I know! Revenge is sweet! Starsky read the note over and over but if there was a clue to his partner's whereabouts he didn't find it. He grabbed a small plastic bag and carefully put the watch and note inside, touching the watch with a tissue. Maybe he was lucky and there were prints on them. Then he raced out of the car and headed to his place of work.  
  
Forty-five minutes later Starsky was waiting for the fingerprint results. He was leaning over Sgt. McIntosh who was looking for prints on the watch. 'I think I've got a partial print, Starsky. Sorry, but that's all I got. There are none on the note except for your own.' 'Well, let's run the results through the computer,' Starsky replied. After another short wait the computer spat out a sheet of paper. Starsky snatched it up before McIntosh got a chance to do so. 'The prints belong to a Juan Gutierrez of Mesa, Arizona.' The two pictures on the paper showed a heavyset man with brown hair tied into a ponytail. His rap sheet was short, with only two arrests for minor incidents. 'Thanks, Mac,' Starsky said and left the room with the paper in his hands. Starsky was excited; finally he had something to go on. He went upstairs to his desk and called the Mesa Police Department.  
  
After being on the phone for almost half an hour Starsky was disappointed that he didn't get the break he was desperately hoping for. The police in Mesa knew about Gutierrez; he was a scrupulous hired help for the bad guys of Mesa and usually worked alone. There was also a warrant out for his arrest but he hadn't been seen in the city for almost a year and nobody knew where he went.  
  
Starsky went to Dobey with the little information he had. He showed his captain the watch and note and handed him the sheet about Juan Gutierrez. 'Maybe I should go down to Mesa and see if I can find out anything?' Starsky said. 'Well, according to the Mesa police he hasn't been in town for a long time. What makes you think you can find him? You've got no connections there.' 'Somebody's got to know where he went!' Starsky almost shouted. 'Not when he is a loner,' Dobey replied. Dobey was right and Starsky knew it. His chances were slim finding out anything in Mesa, where he didn't know anybody. But he had to try; it was his only lead.  
  
Four days later the curly-haired detective returned to Bay City. His visit to Mesa didn't bring the desired results and Starsky left frustrated. He stopped by at The Pits for a drink. Huggy greeted him and prepared the desired liquor. The dark-skinned man also put a plate of food in front of Starsky. 'Eat this, Starsky. It's on the house.' 'I'm not hungry,' Starsky replied and pushed the plate away. 'Come on! Look how skinny you are. I won't let you leave until you eat everything off this plate!' Huggy was determined to do so and pushed the plate back to Starsky. Starsky gave in and ate.  
  
After the developments of the last days Dobey didn't mention the memorial service anymore. He knew Starsky wouldn't go for it.  
  
Hutch had finished his meal and was reading the newspaper. It had been a while since they gave him one. Today's paper was dated December 3rd. December. He couldn't believe it. Had it been that long since he was a prisoner in this place? Was Starsky still looking for him? This time of year his partner was in his element. He loved the Christmas season and happily sang as many seasonal songs as possible, often annoying the Blond. But secretly Hutch was enjoying the happiness of his partner. He just didn't show it. Buddy, what song are you singing now? Did you put that stupid tree again in the red tomato? How he whished to hear his partner's singing voice.  
  
The heavy-set man interrupted Hutch's thoughts. He snatched the paper out of his hand and threw it to the skinny man at the door. Then he put the cuffs on the cops' hands, picked up the tray and left with his partner in crime. A short time later the room went dark. Another day over in paradise, the detective thought sarcastically.  
  
The next morning Hutch couldn't believe his eyes. After the door unlocked the skinny man stepped inside. But nobody else followed and the man closed the door. 'Don't try anything stupid, cop,' the man spoke for the first time. He put the tray of food several feet away from Hutch on the floor. 'I'm going to take the cuffs off and you better behave or you're dead!' the crook continued. He pulled out a gun from his waistband and with his free hand took the keys out of his pocket. Then the man walked behind Hutch, pointing the gun on the prisoner's head while unlocking the cuffs. After finishing he slowly walked back to the door, keeping the gun pointed at the detective. 'Slowly crawl to the tray,' the skinny man ordered. It's now or never, Hutch thought with a confidence he didn't have in a long time. He did as he was told and reached the tray. After sipping from the water and eating some bites he suddenly doubled over and held his hands to his stomach. 'Urgh, I think I'm sick!' the Blond said as he grimaced. 'What's the matter? Sit up and eat!' the man said. But Hutch didn't do so. He fell to his side, curling up and moaning. His captor finally came a little closer, with the gun still pointed at the cop on the floor. When the skinny crook was just two feet away Hutch seized the opportunity. He quickly grabbed the legs of the man, pulling him down. The man was surprised of the attack and lost hold of his gun. Both men scrambled to reach the weapon first. At that moment luck was not on the Detective's side. His opponent held on to the gun but was struggling with Hutch who tried to get it away from the man. Both men rolled around on the floor, trying to get the upper hand. A shot rang out but the fight didn't stop. It continued for some minutes until Hutch was able to hit the other man in the face with his elbow. The skinny man was temporarily dazed and Hutch was able to take the gun away from him. He quickly pointed it at his captor with both hands and stood up. The skinny man didn't move but just glared at the blond cop. 'Now YOU don't try anything stupid!' Hutch said and slowly backed out of the room. He locked the door and leaned his back against it to catch his breath. The gun was now in his right hand, while the other hand was pressing against his left side. Hutch looked at it and saw a red spot forming on the dirty shirt.  
  
Starsky stepped out of the grocery store, carrying a brown back. In front of the door a group of children from a church group sang Christmas songs. Santa Claus was nearby spreading Christmas cheer. 'Merry Christmas,' Santa said to Starsky happily. Starsky murmured 'merry Christmas' in reply and hurried to his car. Merry Christmas? How can this be a merry Christmas? He thought sadly and drove off. He was going to The Pits for lunch.  
  
Hutch looked around the house carefully. All the windows were boarded up and nobody else seemed to be there. He slowly walked to the kitchen, feeling pain in every step. The bullet had hit him in the left side, just below the rib cage. He put the gun in his waistband, looked through the cabinets and found a first aid kit in one of them. He bandaged his wound as good as possible and then picked up a backpack that was sitting on a chair. It was empty but Hutch quickly filled it with two water bottles he had found. Unfortunately there was no food and so he left with at least some water.  
  
When Hutch stepped outside he had to shut his eyes quickly. The sunlight was bright and it took awhile for him to get used to it. Then he made his escape as fast as possible to the woods that surrounded the house. After a few minutes of jogging he could hear a car in the distance behind him. The fat guy must be back, Hutch thought. He better hurry along. He looked again up to the sun through the tree branches. He needed it for orientation. This must be north. Come on, Hutchinson. This is the way to freedom. His adrenalin was pumping and even shut out the pain for a little bit.  
  
Hutch fought his way through the forest. Sometimes the brush was very thick and he tore his shirt and pants in several spots. The detective rested a few times but always just for a little while. He drank his water and then went on. The pain in his side grew worse and Hutch could feel the power draining from his body. But he made it this far and he knew that this was his only chance to get back home. He just had to hold on a little longer. One of the water bottles was empty by now and so at least the backpack was lighter and easier to carry.  
  
A squirrel rushed up a tree that Hutch was leaning onto just seconds later. The forest had gotten sparser and he could actually see further ahead now. The rests got more frequent while the pain got more severe. Hutch was on the run for several hours now and hoped to finally reach his destination soon. I'm on my way home, buddy, the cop thought. After a few more seconds he straightened up and was about to hurry along when he heard a gun being cocked behind him. The Blond stopped dead in his tracks. 'Stop and don't move!' a voice in Spanish ordered the detective from behind. No, no, no! Hutch closed his eyes, his shoulders sagging in defeat.  
  
It was 4 o'clock in the afternoon in Bay City. After having lunch with Huggy Starsky went back home and started to clean his car. This Saturday was a rare day off work for the Detective. It took him quite some time to take out all the trash that had collected in his beloved Torino since he hadn't taken care of it for almost a year. Starsky also washed the outside of the car and when he was done inspected his work. The tomato was shining like new. The Detective was satisfied, put away his cleaning supplies and went inside his apartment. His appetite had come back the last couple of weeks and he was hungry from all the work he had done. Starsky opened his refrigerator and took out a cold slice of pizza. He smiled as he thought about Hutch teasing him about his food habits. Every day something reminded him of his missing partner. It was now over eight months ago when he last saw the Blond. Starsky still hadn't given up on his search but as much as he tried he had no success. But he would never stop and even Jensen was still helping as much as he could, sometimes just listening while Starsky talked proudly of Hutch.  
  
Hutch didn't dare to move. Everything was over, his last hope of escape gone. I hope they make it quick and end it all just here, he thought. 'Police!' the voice interrupted his thoughts and it took a while for the blond Detective to realize what this word meant: The other man was a police officer. He was safe at last! 'Turn around slowly,' the Officer ordered Hutch and he did as he was told. His Spanish was good enough to read the inscription on a patch on the uniform of the other man: Border Patrol. 'What are you doing here?' the patrolman asked accusingly. 'I am trying to find my way home,' Hutch replied in almost perfect Spanish. 'I'm an American citizen and also a police officer.' As he spoke two other men came walking towards them and Hutch recognized one of them immediately as an American Border Patrol Agent. Relief flooded through the cop's body and he wearily leaned his back against the tree. 'I'm Agent Alicante,' the American introduced himself in English. He had overheard what Hutch had said to his Spanish colleague. 'And I am Detective Ken Hutchinson, Bay City Police Department,' Hutch replied slowly. 'Please help me,' he begged as he held on to his hurting side. The pain was becoming almost unbearable. 'I...was kidnapped...Please call my partner,' was all the Blond got out before he lost consciousness and sank to the floor.  
  
Already 6 o'clock, Officer Susan O'Reilly thought. In just an hour her shift would be over and she could go home to get ready for her date with the handsome Detective from Central. She was checking some papers when the phone rang. 'Bay City Police Department, Metropolitan Division. Officer O'Reilly speaking. How may I help you?' she spoke into the phone and then listened attentively to the person on the other side. 'Let me connect you with Captain Dobey,' she finally said after a few minutes.  
  
Dobey was sitting behind his desk, looking over some files. Normally he wouldn't work on a Saturday evening but in eight days he would take his family on a two-week vacation. So he was trying to get as much done as possible. The Captain was tired and decided to call it a day. He put the folders away and was about to leave the room when the phone on his desk rang. For a moment he wanted to just let it ring but he got the feeling that he should better answer the unrelenting ringing. He walked back to his desk, picked up the receiver and barked his name, 'Dobey. This better be important!' On the other end of the line Officer O'Reilly explained to him that a police officer from Tucson was on line three and wanted to talk to somebody about Detective Hutchinson. As soon as Dobey heard his missing detective's name he was fully awake. 'I'll take the call,' he said to the rookie Officer and pressed the button to speak to the Tucson Officer.  
  
It was about forty-five minutes later when the Captain arrived at Starsky's place. He hadn't called ahead because he wanted to talk to the Detective face to face. After he got out of his car Dobey walked up the stairs to Starsky's apartment. He lingered in front of the door for a little while before he finally knocked. It didn't take long and the owner of the apartment opened the door. Starsky was surprised to see his Captain in front of his door. 'Cap? What's up? Starsky inquired and invited his superior inside.  
  
Dobey explained to Starsky what the Officer from Tucson told him. 'Starsky, they found a man in the Mexican border area who claims to be Hutch.' 'I knew it'! Starsky shouted happily before Dobey could say another word. 'I told you he was alive!' Starsky had to suppress the urge to hug and kiss his captain. He is alive! He couldn't believe it. 'Is he all right? I'll fly there as soon as possible. I've got to make reservations!' Starsky was ecstatic and almost threw his phone down as he tried to reach it. The Captain held him back by one arm. 'Starsky! We don't know for sure if it is Hutch. Don't get your hopes up to high!' 'It is Hutch, Cap. I can feel it! Is he all right?' Starsky asked again, this time waiting for an answer. 'He is in the hospital. Apparently he was shot and is also being treated for exhaustion and dehydration. I don't know any details,' Dobey answered truthfully. Shot? Starsky's happy mood changed suddenly. How bad was he hurt? He had to know and this time grabbed the phone to get flight information.  
  
The sun was rising in the heat of southern Arizona. Starsky had arrived at Tucson International Airport fifteen minutes earlier and was now walking out of the gate. He was looking around and finally spotted a person holding up a sign with his name on it. The detective walked straight to the tall, graying man and introduced himself. The other man was Sergeant Stevens from the local police department. 'I'll take you to your hotel,' the policeman told Starsky as he led him to his squad car. 'No, take me to the hospital first,' Starsky said. Officer Stevens didn't question the request by the Bay City Detective and steered the car towards the Hospital. The two men were mostly quiet during the drive. Starsky asked his driver at one time about Hutch's condition but the Sergeant had no knowledge about it.  
  
Only twenty minutes later the pair arrived at their destination. Sergeant Stevens parked his squad car on the parking lot and the two men walked to the hospital entrance. The Tucson Officer showed his badge and inquired about the desired patient. The young woman behind the desk apparently expected the visitors and told them which room to go to and that the doctor would come by shortly.  
  
Starsky and Stevens took the elevator to the 4th floor ICU and walked to room number 418. Starsky was getting nervous as they came closer to the room. There was no door at the room and for a moment Starsky stood at the threshold of the doorway. Sergeant Stevens was waiting patiently behind him. As soon as the Detective saw the blond man on the bed it was as if a huge burden was lifted of his shoulder. He knew immediately that it was his missing partner who was laying a few feet away from him. Starsky said a silent prayer and slowly walked next to the bed, tears streaming down his face. 'I found you, buddy,' Starsky said to the still figure and Stevens left silently the room. The mysterious man was identified.  
  
Starsky couldn't stop looking at Hutch and carefully took his partner's hand. Hutch looked pale and thin. A tube was inserted in his nose. It was then that Starsky took in the machines around him. The Blond was connected to a ventilator. 'Detective Starsky?' a voice asked from the door and a man stepped into the room. 'I am Doctor Messing,' the medical person continued, 'Mr. Hutchinson's surgeon.' The two men shook hands before Starsky started to talk. 'Is he going to be all right?' he asked concerned. 'Well, your partner was shot in the side. We removed the bullet but unfortunately he was walking quit a distance and a long time with it in his body. The bullet did some serious damage. Detective Hutchinson is also being treated for dehydration and two broken ribs. Apparently the ribs were broken some time ago and never healed right. He must have hurt them again when he was on the run. Right know a ventilator is helping him breath due to an injury to his left lung caused by a broken rib.' 'So what does it mean? He will be okay, won't he?' Starsky asked, afraid to hear the answer. 'His chances are pretty good. Baring any complications he should be fine in a few weeks. 'Do you have any questions?' he asked but Starsky didn't. 'Don't hesitate to come to me with any questions or concerns,' Messing said and Starsky thanked the doctor before Messing went on to see his other patients.  
  
'Will you quit that?' Hutch said to his partner and pushed Starsky's hand away. 'Just want to make sure you're comfortable,' the other Detective responded and reached again to the pillow to straighten it up. Hutch just rolled his eyes and let Starsky finish his task.  
  
Almost five weeks had passed since Starsky found his missing partner in a Tucson hospital. Both were now finally back home. After three long weeks in Arizona Hutch could be transferred to Memorial Hospital in Bay City and this morning was finally discharged. Starsky drove him to his apartment and Hutch wasn't surprised when his partner pulled a small suitcase out of the trunk of the Torino. He just grinned and was glad that Starsky would stay with him for some time.  
  
'Did you find out anything more?' Hutch asked after he drank out of a glass that his partner had given him seconds earlier to help him swallow some pills. 'Not yet. Nobody has seen or heard of David Fontana for a long time. But our Mexican colleagues have found the cabin you were held in. They got some prints and we now know the name of the third guy: Sal Montegano. Him and Gutierrez probably went into hiding with Fontana since nobody knows where they are either.' Starsky took the glass Hutch was handing him back and put it on the nightstand. 'We'll get them, partner,' he said reassuringly to Hutch. 'I can't wait to meet this Fontana!' he continued with an angry voice. 'But enough of this now. It's time for your beauty sleep,' Starsky said as he grinned at his partner and pulled the blanket up to cover Hutch. 'Thank you, mom!' the blond Detective replied and smiled. He didn't mind his partner hovering over him. He grabbed his Starsky's hand and squeezed it. The two of them looked at each other for a moment, an unspoken understanding between them. Me and Thee Buddy. Forever.  
  
The End? 


End file.
